Bound
by Donatellosgirl36
Summary: The arrival of a long lost friend brings back memories and emotions for the turtles, especially Donnie. Lives and futures hang in the balance. This is the first chapter of a series, I developed long ago. Hope you love it! Rated T mainly for violence.
1. Remember Me

A/N: My first love will always be the classic turtles from the 80s and 90s, so for the most part my writings will tend to lean towards that version. Although TMNT 2012 is a well made version more than anything it makes me long for the original version.

Disclaimer: By the way I don't own the turtles, because I'm still very broke.

* * *

The mummy movie marathon had only just started even though it was late already. The four turtles slouched about the living room unwinding after a hard day of training, when Donatello felt something stir inside him. It was a long forgotten sensation that drew out a distant memory and a face that made his heart break all over again; long dark hair and big brown eyes that seemed to see deep into your soul without even trying.

It had been Splinter that had found her crying, frightened and alone in the sewer tunnel while on his daily scavenge for food. He might have left her there except she had been a mere child of ten the same age as his own sons. The smell of blood had been nearly overwhelming. "Are you alright child? Are you lost?"

Splinter had recanted the tale of how she had tried to hide from him behind a pile of trash without even looking in his direction. And when she had finally dared to glance up at him, it had been more awe than fear upon seeing the five foot rat. She had visibly relaxed and Splinter had been able to coax her home with him. There they had all learned that she was hiding from an evil crime boss named Shinju that had murdered her family after they had refused to pay protection money to keep their small grocery store open. Those big brown eyes had seen everything and were haunted by the memory.

Splinter had took pity on the child and allowed her to stay with them for a short time. But in that time she had influenced them all and in particular Donnie. They had created a bond of sorts and they had become nearly inseparable. Wherever one was the other was sure to be too. This had begun to concern Splinter for the young girl did not belong below and he feared the strong attachment might end up hurting Donatello in the long run, especially if the girl decided to leave and his son would not be able to follow her.

So, it had been with a heavy heart that Splinter had contacted an old friend above, who had met them and taken her to the protective custody of the NYPD. Donnie winced as the memory of that day echoed in his mind. Tears had fell like rain from those big brown eyes as the man had scooped her up to take her away. Donatello too had to be carried away by Splinter as he fought his father, crying out to his friend.

Donnie recalled not speaking to his father for over a week, which at that young of an age felt like years. It had been his brothers that had comforted him then, they too feeling the great loss. Donnie had never forgotten the betrayal, though with time he had forgiven Splinter. Life has a way of healing you, even when you don't want it to.

But now inside him, he could feel that pull again – that feeling that had left such a gaping hole inside him. It was like a magnet and his body reacted to it like a homing beacon. Before he could even really process what was happening, he had leapt up and made a run for the door.

"Donnie?" Leo called after him.

"What's up with that dude?" Mikey muttered with a mouth full of pizza.

"Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go." Raph chimed in.

Leo's eyes narrowed, his intuition telling him there was something wrong. "I think it's more than that. We better follow him. There could be trouble." Mikey gave a begrudging grunt to the mummy that was already chasing people around on screen and followed his brothers as they gave chase.

Donnie was sprinting along the tunnels using only his instincts to drive him. Finally he rounded a corner and slid to a stop. A few yards away stood three men and a small woman with long dark hair. "We should kill her now before she can bolt again and go blabbing to the cops." One of the men said as he shoved the woman to the ground. She lifted her face off the tunnel floor slightly and her eyes shifted to where Donnie stood. There was no way she could actually see him in the darkness, yet somehow she knew he was there.

Behind Donnie the other three turtles crept up to see what was going on. They didn't understand, they didn't get it, they didn't know who it was. Her name slipped from his lips, expelling with it awe, relief and anger all at once. "Sarah…."

The men looked up at the soft noise, but did not have time to react as Donatello crashed into them disarming them and knocking them out in less than thirty seconds. The turtle turned to look down at the young woman. Those big brown eyes shimmered in the darkness. "Donnie…."

"Are you alright?" He queried as he offered her his hand.

She took it gratefully. And in one swift movement she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. "I am now." Donnie couldn't resist letting his weapon fall to the ground as his arms wrapped around her just as tightly.

The other turtles approached, still a bit confused. "Donnie, what the heck is goin' on?" Raph exclaimed, bewildered.

"Did you say…Sarah?" Leo's eyes widened in recognition of the name. They all gasped as she turned to face them.

"Dudette! It's you!" Mikey wrapped her in a bear hug, just as she stepped from the protective arms of Donatello. The youngest turtle recalled how tender Sarah had been when they were so little. Even at the age of ten she had helped taking care of each of them with patience and kindness. He remembered how he had fallen of his skateboard and sliced his leg open pretty bad. Splinter had been away gathering food for his family and so Sarah had gently cleaned the wound and wrapped it in a clean bandage, ever so aware of how painful it was. Splinter had looked her work over when he had returned and determined she had done so great a job that it needed no more attendance.

Sarah released Mikey and turned to hug Leo, who was still in a slight state of disbelief. He too remembered all she had once meant to him. He recalled how she had helped him in his studies. She had as sharp a mind as Donnie, but had a lot more patience. Donnie tended to get frustrated with his brothers if they didn't get something the very first time he tried to explain it to them. Sarah on the other hand had broken things down into its simplest form and worked up from there. She had been one of the reasons he had learned to love history and art.

Now Sarah turned to Raph, who was blinking furiously. "I've missed you all." She said softly as she hugged his neck. Raph shuddered, returning inside to a small boy, who had just been chastised by his father for not contributing to the chores. Splinter would never have known that he had skipped out on his chores that day, if it hadn't been for Leo informing him. Raph had slipped away to complete a present he was making for his brothers on their upcoming birthday. Sarah had guessed what he was up to and had actually taken over Raph's share of the chores. But Leo had been irritated by his brother's disappearance and so had informed Splinter as soon as he returned home. Raph had received a good lecture for the whole affair. Sarah had found him later outside the lair, his head tucked in his knees. She had simply sat down beside him and put an arm over his shoulders, not saying a word. But the simple physical contact along with her silent understanding had been enough.

Raph blinked again as he fought back the lump in his throat. He pushed back to look at her. "Where have you been?"

"I…" Sarah was interrupted by a groan nearby which drew their attentions back to the present.

"Who are these guys and what did they want with you?" Leo asked as he moved past Donnie toward the three figures laying in a heap.

"They are Shinju's men. After I was…," she paused trying to think of the best word, "taken away. The FBI placed me in the witness protection program and took me to the west coast. I've lived in Oregon for the past ten years until they found me. They brought me back here to New York and when I saw my chance to escape, I did."

"Looks like they caught up with you." Mikey narrowed his eyes at the unconscious bodies, they had nearly hurt his sis and that was not cool.

Donnie had moved back to Sarah's side. He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "No one will ever hurt you again, I swear it." His chest swelled as she smiled at him. That pull inside him felt like it would rip him apart. _Never again will we be separated_, he swore silently to himself. Splinter would simply just have to accept it and if he didn't…. Well, Donnie was more than capable of taking care of himself and Sarah.

The turtles decided to tie the thugs up and leave them as a present in front of the local police station. Their illegal guns would be enough to get them locked up for a while. Now they were headed back to the lair. Donnie could feel Sarah's hesitation and he finally stopped to look at her. She seemed worried. "What is it?"

Sarah glanced up from her internal musings. She could never hide anything from Donnie. Somehow he always knew if something was bothering her. "Well, what if Splinter…." She couldn't finish the thought it caught in her throat like a ball of knives.

"That was a long time ago, dudette. I'm sure Splinter won't try to send you away again." Mikey reassured her.

"But what if I….do something that makes him mad at me again?"

"That was never your fault, Sarah." Leo protested. "That was Splinter's decision."

"Yeah, the wrong one." Raph snorted. He too had suffered from the girl being suddenly ripped from their lives. However, unlike Donnie's very loud objections, he had suffered silently, growing resentful.

"Don't worry. That won't happen again." Donnie's eyes flared with determination and a hint of anger, then softened as he looked down at her. "I won't let it, I promise."

Sarah set her jaw and nodded firmly. They could handle whatever was to come together. It wasn't long before they reached the entrance to the lair. In spite of herself, Sarah paused. Donnie took her hand and Raph placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Sarah realized what a great feeling it was to be home with the only family she had left. And with that she crossed the threshold into the lair.


	2. Forgiveness

A/N: The turtles are still not mine, don't have their copyright anywhere. I checked twice today. Might be able to find Macbeth's though...

* * *

The lair was quiet. The television was turned off and the left over pizza had been neatly set on the coffee table. They had been gone most of the night and now it was nearing dawn. Splinter's room was still dark. A silent sigh of relief went through them all. It would be a while yet before they'd have to deal with whatever Master Splinter might say.

"Hey, let's grab some munchies from the kitchen. I'm starved." Mikey led the way. The kitchen was a somewhat safe place to hang out due to its distance from Splinter's bedroom.

"I'm pretty hungry myself. I don't think I've eaten since the day before yesterday. Those goons sure weren't going to stop and pick me up a big mac or anything." Sarah yawned, the exhaustion of the past two days sinking in.

Donnie frowned. "Maybe you should go rest. You can sleep in my bed, I'll take the couch."

She shook her head. "I'm too excited. I don't think I could sleep right now." She gave Donnie a weak smile and he returned it.

"I'll warm up the pizza we had last night." Raph grabbed the box from the coffee table and shoving the pizza in the microwave.

They talked for a while, Sarah told them of her life in Oregon and how boring it had been most of the time. The turtles took turns catching her up to date on their very busy life in the big city. They told her about Shredder, Krang, Rocksteady, Bebop, Leatherhead, the punk frogs, and of course their friendship with April. They were all so wrapped up in their story telling that no one noticed Splinter until he cleared his throat. All eyes turned to him. Sarah slumped slightly in her chair, hiding a little behind Donnie's shoulder. The sudden uncomfortable emotions welling from her made him go stiff and a need to defend her grew inside. "Master, I….We….You remember Sarah?"

"Indeed I do." The old rat began, eyeing the young woman.

Everyone began talking at once.

"Master Splinter, she was being attack by those mobsters and we found her and-" Leo started explaining.

"Shinju's guys kidnapped her and Donnie beat them up, but-" Mikey began.

"She ain't safe up there, Master! She has to stay with us!" Raph shouted a little louder than the others.

Donatello stood, a small growl emanating from deep inside him, interrupting Splinter's intense gaze. "She's staying here." It was all he could muster around the growl. The statement had been more of a demand than anything else. Splinter raised an eyebrow at his son. Donatello usually never took such a stand of defiance against his father.

"Sarah, I would speak with you privately."

Sarah pushed back from the table and stood, but Donnie's hand caught her wrist. "No." His eyes were still transfixed on Splinter.

The old rat sighed. "Fine, you may come too Donatello." The others began to protest, but a quick glare from their master silenced them.

Donnie nodded and Splinter headed for the dojo. He turned to look down at Sarah, her big brown eyes pleading quietly with him. He touched her cheek. "It'll be alright." She nodded, accepting whatever fate may come as long as he was near. His hand slid from her wrist to her hand as he led the way to the dojo.

Inside, Splinter knelt on his straw mat his eyes closed and face hard to read. Donnie and Sarah knelt across from him, folding their hands in their laps respectfully waiting and dreading.

Splinter began to speak his voice cracking some. "What I did all those years ago, I do not regret. It was for the best and even so it did break my own heart to make you go, Sarah. But I feared for both you and Donatello." Donnie opened his mouth to protest but was quieted by Splinter's hand. "But seeing you today reminded me that if one lets love go and it returns, then it was true to begin with. You were a human girl, Sarah. How could I be certain that you would remain in the sewers with us as you grew or that you might hope for a family of your own someday? I had to be sure and to do so, you had to go be in the world above. I knew it would be very hard on both of you. Even as children you had developed some type of psychic connection that could not be denied. As I suspected would happen you both grew untethered by the other, until now. Until you were old enough to understand the great sacrifice both of you will have to make."

Sarah raised her eyes and for the first time spoke to Splinter, her gaze full of conviction. "There is no sacrifice here, Master Splinter, only reality. Fate has brought me back to nearly the same place that you found me all those years ago. And our bond is what saved me. There is nothing in me, but love and joy and gratitude. There is no room for regret or resentment." A smile slowly crept over Splinter's lips. Sarah's response was to throw her arms around the old rat's neck. "I've missed you too, Master Splinter."

Donnie sat quietly examining his hands. He hadn't understood as a child, but now as an adult he understood what Splinter had done. He understood it was done to protect their hearts, both of them. It had been done with the knowledge that his own son might despise him for it. A doubt sprang into his mind, but was quickly washed away as Sarah's warm hand touched his shoulder and her confidence swelled inside him. He met her eyes and there was complete certainty there. She already knew what he was thinking and wanted to reassure him. Donnie stood to leave, but Splinter spoke once more.

"I will ask you to be mindful of others and respect their presence." He raised his head a little more. "Take things slowly. Respect one another as well." Splinter felt his warning was somewhat unnecessary, but it must be said.

"Yes, Master. And thank you, Master." Donnie bowed deeply to his father, giving the ancient rat the full respect he was due. With that they left Splinter to his meditation.

* * *

"They've been in there awhile now. Maybe we should check on them." Leo paced the living room.

"Well, I ain't heard any shoutin'. That's got to be a good sign." Raph remarked. He ought to know since he was usually on the receiving end of Splinter's lectures.

Just then Sarah and Donnie rounded the corner into the living room. "Everything's okay, guys. Splinter is letting me stay. He didn't even put up a fight." Sarah said, a smile creeping across her face followed by a long yawn.

Donnie slipped an arm around her waist. "Come on, you need some sleep. It's been a long night." He turned her toward the bedroom they all shared. Due to the lack of doors there was little privacy in the place, except if they split off to separate sections of the lair. Which happened when they'd have a big enough fight that the boys didn't want to have anything to do with each other for a while. The other three turtles followed shortly as they too were tired.

Donnie showed Sarah his alcove in the bedroom and was about to leave, when Sarah caught his hand. "Where will you sleep, if I have your bed?"

He smiled, tired but amused. "On the couch for now. Maybe later today we'll find a more permanent arrangement." He started to leave again.

"Stay." Her soft plea caught his attention. He realized with a bit of guilt how terrifying her life must have been up until now. How everyday she must have feared for her life, always looking over her shoulder. She wanted to feel safe, if only for a few more minutes. She blushed a little. "Just until I fall asleep."

He nodded solemnly and settled down into a seated position on the floor beside the bed. He had to admit being this close to Sarah made his own body relax and sleep wanted to consume him, as her steady even breath echoed in his ears and the smell of lavender filled his nose. The last conscious thought he had was: _How did I ever forget that scent_…


	3. Food and Furniture

A/N: Checking pockets- Hum..nope still empty. Guess that means I still don't own the turtles. Darn it! I'd really like to borrow one for just a few hours though... -grin-

* * *

Donnie woke to a foot nudging his shell. "Donnie, get up man." It was Mikey. Donnie just tried to ignore him. But Mikey's voice came even more insistent than before. "Donnie, you need to get up before Master Splinter finds you there." Realization hit Don like a mattress truck. His eyes popped open and he sat bolt upright. He'd fallen asleep on the floor of his alcove. Mikey was leaning over him trying to be quiet. Donnie glanced to the bed, where Sarah was fast asleep. He quickly moved out of the alcove and into the larger main room.

"Thanks Mikey. I must have been more tired than I thought."

"No prob, dude. But Master Splinter wants us to train for a few hours, it's already midday." Donnie rubbed his stiff neck. He shot a glance at the sleeping figure in his bed, wondering if it was wise to leave her alone. "She'll be fine, man. Nothing'll happen while she's in the lair."

Donnie nodded. "Yeah, I know." He followed his brother to the dojo.

* * *

Practice had not been much fun for any of them. Even the usual push-himself-to-the-brink Leo was still very tired. The four brothers settled on the floor with bottles of water. Splinter had left them to meditate some time ago. "So, we should do something about the sleeping arrangements." Leo mused.

"Yeah, we can't have Donnie fallin' asleep on the floor all the time." Raph jeered.

Donnie rolled his eyes, it didn't matter that it was an accident. Raph would tease anyway. He rubbed the crick in his neck again. "Well, it would be nice for Sarah anyways, if she had her own space."

"We could clean up that chamber on the other side of the living room." Raph suggested.

"You mean the one we use for storage sometimes?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, it stays dry most of the time." Raph explained. "And it's a bit separated, so she'd have a little more privacy."

"Or at least, she wouldn't be woken up by Leo's snoring." Mikey cut in with a snicker. Raph and Donnie chuckled, as Raph elbowed his now brooding brother.

"Well, in any case. I think it's a good idea. You guys up for a furniture hunt tonight?" Donnie suggested.

They all nodded but their conversation was cut short as Sarah stepped into the doorway. "Hey, guys. I've made you some dinner."

Mikey frowned. "You didn't have to do that, dudette. I would have made dinner. It's kinda been my thing over the last few years."

"Yes, I gathered that from the cupboard. But I'm here now and I'm going to pull my weight as much as I can. Besides I've learned a few things in ten years. I've got some pretty mad cooking skills myself." Sarah winked conspiratorially. "You might just like it."

Raph jabbed a finger at Mikey. "If it ain't round and starts with a P, Mikey don't know how to cook it."

Donnie rose and stepped up beside Sarah. "I for one am more than willing and ready to try someone else's cooking." His brothers laughed as they rose to the follow Sarah into the kitchen.

The wonderful aroma met them long before they crossed the threshold. As they filed in, they each took notice of how clean and pristine the kitchen was. In fact, none of them had ever seen it so clean. Sarah had woken shortly after Donnie had left her bedside and finding them all at training, she had decided to make herself useful. Indeed, the entire living space looked much cleaner.

"Dudette, you have truly been busy." Mikey spoke of the large dish of lasagna, the garlic bread and an apple pie that sat ready on the large round table.

"How in the world did you make this from what we had?" Raph sniffed the food wondering just how fresh those apples could be.

Sarah chuckled. "Believe me, I didn't have a great deal to work with. But with a little practice you can make almost anything from something." Donnie grinned and pulled a chair out for her.

Splinter graced the doorway. Usually he didn't care for what the turtles ate. But that was mostly because the only thing they ate was pizza, and one could only stand so much. He usually preferred his sushi, but the aroma that filled the lair was a little too enticing. "I think I too would like to try this new dish." The boys made room and Leo pulled up another chair.

They each took a chunk of the hearty lasagna. It was Donnie that took the first bite and within a few moments it was gone. The others followed suite and within mere minutes the entire lasagna was gone along with the garlic bread.

"Where did you find apples?" Leo cut the pie into six even sections.

"Well, it wasn't fresh apples. I found a can of pie filling way in the back. It looked like it had been forgotten a while ago."

Mikey piped up at the pie filling. "Oh yeah, I had got that a while back. I thought it might make an awesome pizza topping."

Sarah chuckled. "Maybe so, Mikey. In any case, you boys are seriously lacking some real food. I should go grocery shopping."

The turtles exchanged worried glances. "Sarah, you can't. It's too dangerous. What if Shinju's men caught you up there?" Raph insisted.

"Besides we don't exactly have a budget for groceries." Mikey pointed out.

Leo was more concerned for her safety. "You can't just go wandering around up top by yourself until we've done something about that mobster."

Sarah set her jaw and was about to protest, when Donnie's voice of reason broke through. "Leo's right, you can't go alone but that doesn't mean you can't go. One of us will just go with you." Sarah nodded her agreement and relaxed back into the crook of Donnie's arm.

That settled Leo rose from the table. "Come on fellas we have to go on patrol. And don't we have some errands to run too?"

The boys rose and began to clean off the table. Sarah waved a hand at them. "Just leave it guys. I've got plenty of time on my hands."

"You know, it will be nice to have an extra pair of hands around." Raph chuckled.

Sarah followed them out to the entrance. Donnie paused and looked down at her, the feeling of trepidation rose in him once again at the thought of leaving her behind. Sarah smiled softly and rose up on her tiptoes to place a gentle kiss on his lips. Donnie trembled as he thought he might melt into a puddle of green goo right there. As quickly as the moment had happened, it was gone and Splinter had joined them from the kitchen.

Donnie felt himself blush even though he had done nothing wrong. "We'll be back soon." And with that he made a speedy exit.

Little did Donnie know, but it was Sarah's trepidation he had felt. "Master, does it always feel this way when they leave?"

The old rat sighed. "Yes, I'm afraid so. I am too advanced in age now to do much to assist them. But I suppose every father worries about his children no matter their age." Sarah winced a little at his words. She wrapped her arms around herself. She had only just now found her family again, if she were to lose them… Splinter's voice broke into her thoughts and his warm hand touched her arm. "Do not worry too much child, they are highly skilled ninjas after all."

* * *

It was well after midnight when the turtles returned. Donnie found Sarah curled up asleep in his bed once again. Part of him wanted to curl up next to her, but he knew there was more to be done before he could sleep. He returned to the chamber beside the living room. Mikey was moving boxes as his brothers brought in the "new" furniture. They had found a brand new queen size mattress behind a department store. The only thing wrong with it was a rip in the fabric on one side, which Leo was quick to point out that it wouldn't make a difference once it had a sheet on. Raph had spotted the bedframe and small dresser near an apartment complex which was frequented by traveling nurses. The frame too was almost new except for a few small scratches. Mikey was certain Sarah wouldn't mind. Donnie wished he could give her something in a little better shape, but when you're shopping free you take what you can get. Donnie went to get the dresser as Leo and Raph put the mattress on the bedframe. Mikey had moved all the boxes to another chamber and now returned with an arm full of sheets. The sheets too were worn thin with use.

It was nearly one by the time they had finished the room. Rather than wake Sarah, Donnie decided to test out the new bed for the night and move her in in the morning. As he fell asleep with the sound of Leo's snoring echoing off the walls, he considered how great a door would be on the small chamber.


	4. Family and Frustration

A/N: Sorry the last chapter was a bit of a snooze, but it was necessary to the flow of the story line. So, I decided to go ahead and post this next chapter rather quickly. Hold onto your hats, things are about to take off.

* * *

Sarah sat on the side of Donnie's bed, pondering the horrendous noise that came from her blue masked brother. _How on Earth do they sleep through that? For that matter, how did I sleep through it?_ She glanced at the clock on Donnie's side table. It was half past eight in the morning. She looked down at her clothes. They were the same ones she'd been wearing for three days now. They were beginning to smell and were smudged with dirt from the tunnel floor_. I'll have to fix that today. And what I wouldn't give for a bath. _ She was a girl after all and not bathing for any period of time made her feel yucky.

She rose and headed for the kitchen. Splinter was already seated at the table, a hot mug of tea in front of him. "Good morning, Master Splinter."

"Good morning, child. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, glancing around the kitchen. "Where's Donnie? He wasn't on the couch and he's not in the dojo or his lab either. I know he's nearby." Splinter raised an eyebrow at how intense their connection must be.

As if he had heard his name, the fore mentioned turtle appeared in the doorway. He stretched and yawned. "Good morning." He brushed a kiss in her hair as he moved toward the still hot teapot. The action had been so natural, that neither of the young adults had noticed Splinter's raised eyebrow.

"I need a bath."

Donnie nearly dropped the teapot. "What?"

"I need a bath and a change of clothes. You guys may be used to going around in the same clothes, or lack thereof, for days on ends. But I'm not and I don't think I can go much longer without washing my hair." She ran a hand through her long locks and scowled at them incriminatingly. "I have to go above to get some things from the drug store."

"But-" He started. The look on Sarah's face made him decide it would be easier to fight off Shinju's men than to argue with her. He sighed. "Alright. But before we go the guys and I want to show you something."

Her eyes lit up as she tried to untangle her fingers from her slightly knotted hair. "Really? Well then, we'd better wake them up, because I've just got to get cleaned up before noon." With that she turned on her heel and headed back to the bedroom area. A few minutes later the other three turtles wandered into the kitchen yawning, stretching and scratching.

"Boy, Master, Sarah could put you to shame when it comes to gettin' us up." Raph commented as he flopped in the chair beside his father.

"Yeah, I don't think I've ever woken up so fast in my life." Mikey mumbled.

"I guess that'll teach you to leave your water gun laying around." Sarah teased him.

Leo grunted and rubbed his head. "Now what was so important, Donnie?"

"I need a bath." Sarah stated. The three turtles' eyes grew wide. "I have to go above to get some things."

They turned to stare at Donnie, who could do nothing more than shrug. "I told her we had something to show her first."

Mikey lit up. "Oh yeah, come on dudette!" Grinning, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her toward the living room. Sarah giggled as he pulled her to the entrance of the darkened chamber. Donnie stepped past his overly excited brother to where the light switch was just inside the door.

Leo placed a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "We thought you might want a space of your own."

Donnie flipped the switch, illuminating the chamber. Sarah stepped through the entrance and stood very still for a long moment. She was so quiet that they began to wonder if she liked it or not. When she finally turned around, tears were streaming down her checks and the biggest smile graced her lips. "I love it." She threw her arms around Donnie's neck.

"Hey, we helped too." Raph chided.

Sarah chuckled. "I know you did." She hugged each one in turn. "Thank you so much! I truly, truly love it!" She looked around the chamber one more time. She was home at last, so close to Donnie that his mere presence filled the gaping hole that had cried out for him for so long. The joy that filled her heart spilled out her eyes and down her check to crash upon the bedroom floor. "I'm home."

* * *

Time passed and Sarah fit back into their lives like she had never been gone. Giving to them her love and support, just as she had so long ago. Over the following weeks she spent time with each of them, showing them what she had learned and learning from them as well.

Leo discovered that he had found a kindred spirit when it came to art and history. His brothers didn't care much for that sort of thing, but Sarah would sit and look at books and magazines with him for hours.

Mikey simply liked having his sis home. They would play board games together and she even tried to teach him some new things to cook. But Mikey still preferred his pizza. Sarah had solved the problem of the lack of real food. She was receiving a small stipend from the government. It wouldn't have been a lot if they lived above, but below in the sewers that few hundred a month was like gold and it went a very long way.

Sarah had caught Raph sneaking off on occasion and she had finally coaxed him into telling her where exactly he went. As it turned out, Raph had a green thumb, both literally and figuratively. On a nearby rooftop he had built a splendid garden. Sarah was thoroughly impressed by the beautiful flowers and bright fresh vegetables. Especially since she had tried her hand at gardening herself some years ago and determined in the end that her house was where plants came to die not to live. Raph had laughed at her story and she had listened patiently as he had explained how carefully he took care of each plant. Before they had returned to the lair, he had sworn her to secrecy. He wasn't ready yet to expose his quiet place to his brothers. Sarah had agreed quickly, knowing this was his place to get away and let off steam.

Donnie most of all enjoyed spending time with her. It made him smile when she'd pull her long hair up into a ponytail and help him with his inventions. He thought the smudges of grease on her cheek made her even more adorable. They could talk about almost anything. She was a quick learner and nearly anything he explained she got. She was good with tools and blueprints and just about everything else too. She filled the gaping hole inside him with joy and love, a missing piece that he hadn't realized how much he needed.

Their relationship was growing steadily and at a natural pace. Their connection was growing too. It was so strong now that if Sarah became frustrated about anything, he knew it long before anything was said. They continued to show each other respect, which is an important key to any relationship, and theirs blossomed for it.

* * *

"But that's completely unfair!" Sarah sputtered indignantly.

Donnie shook his head. "It's too dangerous."

"It's just lunch and with April, for goodness sakes. What could happen?"

"Shinju's men could spot you and –"

"It's been three months. There is no way he could know I'm still in the city and that I hadn't returned to witness protection."

"No, I really don't think-"

The three turtles listening from the living room cringed as something hit the wall of Sarah's room. Donatello appeared in the doorway, glancing over his shoulder as he made a hasty exit. The bedroom door was closed quite loudly behind him.

"Dude," Mikey started quietly, "what is wrong with her having lunch with April? We do it all the time."

"She wants to have lunch _alone_ with April." Donnie protested. "Shinju isn't the type to just give up."

Raph grinned as he slipped an arm around his brother's shoulder. "Then boy genius, you tell her she can go alone and we'll keep an eye on her from nearby. We are ninjas after all. She'd never know."

Donnie sighed. The plan wasn't half bad, except for the fact that Raph had forgotten about their bond. "She'd know if I was there."

"Well, then there is only one solution." Leo folded his arms. "You'll just have to stay here."

Donnie considered this for a moment. His brothers were just as capable of taking care of her as he was, even though he didn't like the idea much. He sighed. Leo was right, it was the only solution. It would make Sarah happy and it would keep her safe too. "Agreed." He turned back to the closed doorway. He could feel her frustration inside him, which was dwindling now to remorse. She wasn't really angry and even the small plate that had hit the wall had not been aimed at him. She was upset and he needed to fix it.


	5. Distractions

A/N: Well, I got snowed in so you guys get to benefit. This one is going to make you hate me for leaving you hanging, so Ill just go hide myself in a closet till I can update again.

* * *

Donnie pushed the door open slowly. Sarah was kneeling on the floor, quietly picking up the pieces of the broken plate. He closed the door and moved to her side. He knelt beside her and caught her hand as she lifted another shard of porcelain.

She wouldn't meet his eyes. "I'm sorry. You're right of course. I just…wanted to feel normal for a little while and not so…hunted."

He placed a hand under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. There were tears in those beautiful brown eyes and true shame at her outburst. "No, I was wrong. The guys showed me that. Will you at least let me walk you there?" She smiled. "And will you let me know when you're on your way home?"

The shards of porcelain fell back to the floor. "Always." In a blink of an eye, she was in his arms, her lips pressed tightly to his. Her body was warm and soft against his, and he melted into her. She kissed him deeply and he responded in kind. She broke away for a moment to breathe soft words against his lips. "I love you."

Even though he had known for so long and the words were truly unnecessary, this was the first time they had been spoken aloud. Inside he shattered, broken and rebuilt in the same moment. He gave his soul completely over to her as he responded. "I love you more." They fell back into the kiss and an endless moment. When he finally came up for breath again it was late. "I should go. The others are probably already asleep and tomorrow will be a busy day." He stood, gently unwinding himself from her.

"No. Stay with me." And because he couldn't fight her, he didn't even try. They lay down in her bed. She curled up against him and he wrapped his arms around her drawing her as close as he could. Burying her face in his neck, she was fast asleep within moments. Donnie fell into slumber knowing no dream could surpass what he had at that very moment.

* * *

The turtle-com chirped on the bedside table. Both tried to ignore it, but it was quite insistent. Morning had come all too soon for the couple and neither had any desire to move. The turtle-com chirped again and Donnie reached over Sarah to get it off the nightstand. The bright little screen blazed to life in the darkened chamber and Michelangelo appeared. "Dude, where are you?"

"In the lair." Donnie said, wanting nothing more than to fall back to sleep with his love's warm body next to his.

"No, you're not. We've been looking for you all morning."

Sarah turned the com towards her. "Yes, he is."

Mikey blinked then blushed as realization hit him. "Um, okay. I'll tell Master Splinter you went to the junkyard." The screen went dark and the couple broke out into snickers.

"Poor Mikey, I think we just gave him the shock of his life." Donnie pulled Sarah closer.

She kissed the underside of his chin. "You know, I really hate to say it, but we have to get up."

"No." Donnie grumbled, pulling the covers over their heads.

Sarah laughed. "I want to stay here too, but I promised April I'd meet her for lunch. Remember?"

Donnie rolled his eyes. How could he forget, it was their first argument after all.

"By the way, sorry about the plate." It had been a small dish with little flowers painted along the edge and a faux gold rim. A small thing really, but it had been a gift from Donnie so Sarah had treasured it. He had found it while out scavenging the junkyard one day. He had cleaned it up and brought it home. Just a little something to let her know he had been thinking of her.

"Don't worry about it. But a kiss might just make me feel better." Donnie teased. Sarah grinned and planted a quick peck on his lips before rolling out of the bed. Donnie pouted adorably for a moment before flopping onto his back.

Sarah slipped behind the changing screen that Leo had found for her. He had even painted a beautiful picture of a sunset over New York on it. "I'd better make an appearance before you. I'm usually up well before you guys."

"I'll slip around and come back in the front entrance in a little while." Donnie yawned again.

Sarah appeared, now dressed and brushing her long dark hair. "Okay, but don't fall asleep again."

He grinned as she leaned over him to place another soft kiss on his lips. "I won't. And don't you leave without me. You promised I could walk you."

"I promise." She cracked the door and slipped out, stealthily closing it behind her.

In the living room sat three sheepish looking turtles that couldn't make eye contact with her. Apparently they had already been informed. Sarah glanced around making sure Splinter was not in earshot. She wagged a finger at her adoptive brothers. "Now before you guys get any bright idea. We fell asleep and that is all there is to tell. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Yep."

"Absolutely."

Sarah could already see the wheels turning furiously in their heads and she rolled her eyes as she headed for the kitchen. _What do I expect? They are guys after all._

A little while later, Donnie came through the main entrance with a box of spare parts under one arm. The parts were actually from his lab, where he had snuck and grabbed some in case he had to show proof of his absence. As Murphy's Law would have it, Splinter did appear just as Donnie entered the living room.

"Donatello, I hope your trip was productive."

"Oh, uh, yes Master. I'm sorry I forgot to leave a note. Usually Sarah is up, but apparently she slept late this morning." He glanced at the kitchen doorway where she had appeared. Sarah smiled coyly. Splinter glanced in her direction and she quickly hid her smile behind a mug of tea.

"Are you feeling well, Sarah? It is unusual for you to sleep so late." Splinter inquired.

"I'm fine, just a little tired. Donnie and I had a misunderstanding and we stayed up rather late discussing it." She explained.

"But everything is fine now." He smiled back at her. "Let me put these parts away and I'll take you to meet April."

"It'll go a lot faster, if I help." Sarah met Donnie as he passed Splinter and headed for the lab. Splinter watched them curiously as they disappeared around the corner. The old rat knew something was definitely up.

As the two young adults entered the lab they both began to chuckle. "You know, those parts are awfully clean to have come from the junkyard." Sarah pointed out.

"Well, it was the best I could do on short notice. Do you think he noticed?" Donnie placed the box back into the cabinet where it had been to begin with.

Sarah chuckled. "No, I think he was too busy trying to figure out exactly what was going on." Sarah brushed a warm kiss on his check as she headed for the door. "I really do have to finish getting dressed now. Give me about fifteen minutes."

Donnie nodded and as soon as she was gone, he headed toward the dojo. Once he'd gotten the guys attention and they had their fill of teasing him. He explained that he would walk with Sarah to the deli near channel six and then leave. The others would take over from there and watch over her until she got home. Leo patted his brother on the shoulder. "Don't worry Donnie, we got this. Let April and Sarah have their girl talk."

When Sarah was ready, she and Donnie left via the sewer passage. The others waited and followed a while later in the van. They parked nearby and climbed to the rooftop to watch the girls from across the street. Donnie glanced up in their direction as he left. Mikey waved and Donnie felt a lot better knowing they would be nearby. Sarah had promised again that she would call before heading home. So, Donnie made his way home alone. Remembering the broken plate, he retrieved the three large shards it had broken into and busied himself by gluing it back together with as much care as possible.

Meanwhile, Mikey was getting hungrier and hungrier. They had been keeping watch for about an hour. "Dudes, even that salad of April's is starting to look awesome. I've got to get some munchies." He scanned the nearby block. "Hey, look there's a pizza parlor right over there. Maybe I could go and you guys stay and keep an eye on Sarah and April."

Raph sputtered, glaring at his younger brother. "Mikey, will you get your head out of your stomach."

Leo groaned, taking his eyes off the women for just a moment. "Mikey this is serious. Donnie's counting on us. Besides we can get pizza later, after we're certain Sarah has made it home safely." Glancing back at the table, he gasped. "Oh, no." Both women were gone.


	6. Stay With Me

A/N: Well, it's been snowing on and off for the past week. Strange to have this much snow so late into winter and it's also strange for Texas. I hope that you'll enjoy this one, until next time.

* * *

Donnie polished the porcelain plate a little more before setting it back on Sarah's nightstand, where it had been shortly before its unfortunate journey across the room. He smiled to himself at how happy the tiny trinket had made her when he'd brought it home. Glancing at the bed his smile broadened a little, remembering how cozy it had been. He turned and stepped back into the living room, pulling the door closed behind him. His turtle-com came to life, chirping happily. Sarah smiled at him from the other side of the screen.

"As promised I'm letting you know I'm heading back. But I did see something in a shop window and just had to stop to get it."

Donnie smiled. "Alright, I'll head your direction and we'll-"

Suddenly, there was shuffling on the other end of the line. Sarah's voice came through loud and irritated from the other end. "Hey! Who do you think you are?" More shuffling and now there was fear in her voice. "No! Let me go! Donnie!" The line went dead.

Donatello fell to his knees as his mind swirled. Her cry had been like a thousand knives stabbing his heart. "Sarah! Sarah!" He shouted, trying every knob and switch trying to regain the signal. But nothing worked and he was having trouble forming a coherent thought.

"Donatello?" Splinter's hand landed on his shoulder. "What is wrong, my son?"

"It's Sarah. They've got her, Master. I wasn't there….the guys were supposed to….I don't know what to do."

"Every journey begins with a single step. You and Sarah have a connection that I can barely fathom. Focus, Donatello, look inside yourself for the answer. Focus on her emotions. You were able to sense where she was once. You may yet be able to do it again and at a greater distance now."

"Yes, Master." Donnie sat back on his haunches, trying to calm his own emotions and locate Sarah's in the chaos. It wasn't long before he found them and the pull he had felt that day in the lair so many months ago. This time he understood and embraced it. This glowing ember inside him, it was Sarah and she called to him like the sun to the Earth. His eyes snapped open again filled with determination.

At the same moment, his turtle-com chirped to life again. This time it was Leo and he was speaking rapidly. "Donnie I'm sorry, we lost track of Sarah. We were distracted for just a second." He glared at Mikey off screen. "And then she was gone and-"

"Leo stop. Shinju has Sarah. I can't tell you where she is, but I can find her. Track my turtle-com." Donnie said shortly.

"Gotcha, we've got your back."

Donnie closed his com before anymore could be said. "Thanks, Master. That really helped."

"Good luck, my son."

Anger flashed across Donnie's face, which was an unusual expression for him. "Those creeps are the ones that will need luck, when I get my hands on them." With that he was gone.

He ran in the darkness, the only thing lighting the way was the ember burning inside him. The world was nothing but shades of grey and it faded away. His vision narrowed and he didn't even notice the tunnel workers that he gave quite a scare to as he passed. He focused on Sarah's emotions: there was fear and determination, but it was the other two emotions that spurred him on the love and…faith. The latter was harder to grasp, but as he dwelt on it he began to understand. It was faith in him, faith that he would be there when she needed him. This feeling was overwhelming. His heart pounded loudly in his ears and he relied strictly on his instincts as he weaved his way beneath the city. Finally, he came to a stop. She was here, right above him. His adrenaline pumped and he growled despite himself, knowing what could be happening above.

He climbed up to the grate and listened for a moment. He could hear voices, but they were further away. Moving the grate aside, he jumped up to find himself in the subbasement of a warehouse. He moved toward a staircase at the far end. The voices were getting louder as he neared it.

"You'll never get away with this! Just you wait and see!" Sarah stood her ground bravely.

A male voice with a Chinese accent responded. "Did you think I would forget about you? You may have been a small child, but you made an impression on the judge." The sound of flesh striking flesh made Donnie flinch. "You're lucky I was able to get off on a technicality or you'd have been dead long ago, girl."

Donatello had made it stealthily up the stairs and behind a stack of crates without being seen. He peeked around one to see four goons and their boss each packing guns. Two large men had a hold of Sarah, who now sported a red mark on one cheek.

"Do you know why I wouldn't let my men kill you, Miss Waters?" Shinju drew a large blade from his belt. "I just couldn't deny myself the pleasure of the life leaving your eyes."

Donnie couldn't wait any longer. He sprang from behind the crates, landing as close as he could to Sarah. "Don't you dare lay a hand on her or you'll regret it!"

One of the men holding Sarah had already had one run in with this turtle and he hesitantly took a step back. "You again."

Donnie suddenly realized he was outnumbered and worst of all out gunned. He set his jaw and his stance. He wouldn't go down without a fight and neither would Sarah.

Shinju stepped forward and leveled his pistol at Donnie's head. "Says who, little green man? You? Ha! I think you need to learn to count." Just then one wall of the warehouse burst open as the turtle van came to a stop just inside. The three turtles emerged into a barrage of gunfire.

Seeing three more of the large turtles was just too much for the one goon, and he turned and took off. Shinju realized quickly that the tide was turning against him. He grabbed Sarah's free arm, which was currently beating on the guy that still had a grip on her. He jerked her around to face him.

"Let her go!" Donnie shouted as he moved closer.

Shinju glared at the turtle. "You want her so bad. You may have what is left." In the blink of an eye, his blade came crashing down on her. Sarah was able to throw an arm up to stop the blow meant for her neck. At the same moment, Donatello cried out as he moved with lightning speed. His foot caught Shinju's chin, throwing his head back violently with incredible force. Donnie ignored the man's lifeless form as it landed on the cement floor. Instead, he quickly dispatched the other man beside Sarah. The other men had been taken care of and now everyone turned to Sarah.

She raised her eyes to meet Donnie's. "I'm sorry…" That's when he noticed the six inch gash in her forearm and the quickly growing pool of blood at her feet. She began to collapse and he caught her.

"We have to go! Now! He must have cut a major artery!" Donnie was already headed for the van, where there were some first aid supplies.

Raph was the one to notice that Shinju was not moving. "Leo, he ain't breathin'."

Leo nudged the thug with his foot, still no response. "Donnie must have hit him pretty hard. Mikey, you take them back to Master Splinter. Raph and I will take care of this."

Mikey nodded and jumped in the driver's seat. "How's she doin', bro?" He threw the van into reverse.

"Not good, Mikey. She's losing a lot of blood. We have to get home and I mean now!" Donnie had removed his bandana and wrapped it around her upper arm to try to slow the blood flow. He had also wrapped bandages around the open wound. But the white gaze was already turning a dark crimson.

Mikey broke nearly every speed limit and blew through nearly every red light on the way back to the lair. He pulled into the garage so quickly that he almost hit the far end. Donnie scooped Sarah up. She was pale and starting to tremble. "She's going into shock!"

They burst through the entrance. "Master Splinter, hurry!" Mikey called.

Splinter appeared as Donnie laid Sarah on the couch. Donnie gulped, trying to speak around the growing knot in his throat. "It's pretty bad, Master. She's lost a lot of blood and she's going into shock!"

"Michelangelo, the first aid kit, quickly." Splinter knelt beside the couch to examine the arm. "Donatello, you must remain calm. Your strength will be hers."

Donnie nodded, although inside he felt like he was freezing, like a part of his soul was slipping away leaving a gaping hole. Sarah shook violently as Splinter cleaned the wound with peroxide. "Speak to her, my son. Keep her calm."

Donnie choked back tears as he lowered his head to speak in her ear. "Sarah, I'm here. I'm right here, my love. I need you to stay with me. Please, stay with me." Sarah visibly relaxed and her head turned slightly to him as if even in her unconscious state she knew exactly where he was. Encouraged slightly, he stroked her cheek and whispered in her ear once more. "I'm not going anywhere and you can't leave without me."


	7. Overwhelmed

A/N: That was rather cruel of me to leave y'all hangin'. But what's a story without a bit of suspense? R&amp;R please.

* * *

Leo and Raph stepped back into the lair two hours later. The place was so quiet that it was unsettling. Mikie sat in the large arm chair with his face buried in his hands. The light was on in Sarah's room but not a single sign of life could be detected. They both headed towards the room but Splinter's voice stopped them. "Leave them, my sons." They turned back to see Splinter drying his hands on a towel which was now covered in red and pink stains.

"is she…?" Raph couldn't finish the thought.

"She is alive but extremely weak. It is up to Sarah now. I have done all that I can for her." Splinter sounded very tired, as if his age was suddenly catching up with him.

"We nearly lost her. She was gone, but Donnie…he did something and it brought her back." Mikie's voice cracked and wouldn't look at them.

Leo put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Hey, Mikie this isn't your fault? It was that creep Shinju."

"Yeah, and believe me, Donnie took care of him. He won't be back." Raph pointed out.

Mikie stood, brushing Leo's hand from his shoulder. He still wouldn't meet their eyes. "I…I need to clean the van. There's a lot of blood…."

"Man, we must have really missed some serious stuff." Raph watched as Mikie disappeared around the corner.

Leo was more interested in what Mikie had said. "What did he mean, Master? Donnie brought her back?"

Splinter took a calming breath. The situation was hard for even him to grasp fully. "What I believe happened is that Donatello shared his own life force with her. Michelangelo was correct when he said she was gone. She had lost too much blood and she was beyond my reach. But Donatello wouldn't give up and when she stopped breathing he…" Splinter shook his head. "Well, whatever he did severely weakened him, but Sarah began to breathe again. They are resting in Sarah's bed. I thought separating them might do more harm than good. I still do not completely understand their bond."

Raph sat heavily in the arm chair Mikie had vacated moments ago. "Leo, we really messed up this time. Didn't we? We could have lost Sarah and maybe even Donnie." He squinted his eyes tightly, willing the pain in his chest to stop hurting.

"Hey, don't worry, Raph. The worst is over with. Isn't it?" Leo looked to his father for reassurance.

Splinter took another ragged breath. "Yes, I do believe it is. All we can do now is wait and see."

* * *

Mikie scrubbed a little harder on the floor of the van. He watched the scene replay again and again in his mind. Sarah had stopped breathing and the look on his brother's face had been one of fear and panic. Donnie had cried her name and then gasped. His eyes rolled back in his head and he had collapsed beside the couch. Mikie had rushed to his side to find him not breathing either. Then both had started gasping for air. Splinter had been able to finish dressing Sarah's wound and he had Mikie take her to her bed to rest. Donnie had seemed a bit disoriented and Splinter thought it best that the two not be separated, so Mikie had helped his brother into the bed beside Sarah.

Mikie berated himself once more and scrubbed a little harder at the drying blood_. I could have lost Sarah. I could have lost Donnie. I could have lost them both! What was I thinking! Donnie trusted us – me- and they nearly died because of it._

Raph entered the garage and watched Mikie scrubbing furiously at the van floor, which to all appearances seemed clean now. "Hey, Mikie, buddy, you know it was wrong of us to put that on you, to leave you alone like that."

Mikie paused only momentarily in his scrubbing before continuing. "Leo's wrong."

Raph leaned against the side of the van. "Leo's wrong about a lot of stuff, what's your point?"

Mikie stopped and sat back on his haunches. He stared at the bloody rag in his hand. "It was my fault. All of this was my fault."

"Mikie, you can't take all the blame on yourself."

Mikie's head snapped around to glare at his brother. "No, Raph. You didn't see Donnie almost die. If Sarah had he would've too. Master Splinter seems to think their connection is emotional or something. But what I saw in there today was no emotion. Their connection goes far beyond that. It's – it's physical – biological- Oh, I don't know the right word for it." Mikie sighed. "If Donnie was here he'd know what to call it."

Raph digested what his brother had said for a moment. It was really hard to get Mikie that upset, but whatever had transpired that day had really shook him to his core. "Mikie, I…"

The younger turtle was in no mood for sympathy, nor did he desire it from the one brother that teased him the most. Mikie picked up the bucket of red water and went to dump it into one of the sewer tunnels outside the lair, avoiding everyone else in the process. He needed to be alone right now.

* * *

Leo sat at the end of the couch staring at Sarah's doorway. A shadow moved inside the room and Leo was on his feet in an instant. He stepped quietly to the entrance. Donnie was sitting on the bedside his features tired and drawn.

"Donnie?" Leo said softly.

His brother looked up. "Hey."

"How is she? Has she woken up yet?"

Donnie sighed. "She's resting now. She hasn't woken but I can tell she's more aware than an hour ago."

"I'm sorry. This is my fault. If I had paid better attention-"

"No, Leo it was a risk we all took every time she ventured to the surface. Sarah knew it as well."

"Donnie, about Shinju…"

"He's dead, isn't he? It hadn't been my intention, but I can't say that I'm sorry either." Donnie looked down at Sarah, who stirred slightly. He squeezed her hand gently. He had no regrets; forced into the same situation he would have done it again.

"Raph and I took care of it. We buried him near the underground river. No one will ever find him there."

Donnie nodded but his attention was still on Sarah. She felt a little cold to the touch, so he rose on slightly shaky legs to get anther blanket from a nearby chair. Leo helped him cover her with the extra layer. The coolness in the sewers didn't bother the turtles so much, but Sarah was human and so she tended to stay more bundled up than the others.

Leo looked at Sarah's left arm which was bandaged from wrist to elbow. "Do you think her arm will be alright?"

"We won't really know until she wakes up. It may be a long time before it's fully healed. It was really deep, Leo. I saw bone at one point." Donnie rubbed a hand over his face. "Sorry, I'm still pretty tired."

"I'll leave you to sleep then."

"No, I don't think I can."

"You want me to bring you anything?"

Donnie settled into the chair beside the bed. "Some tea would be great."

Leo left and Splinter entered. He quietly sat on the edge of the bed and felt of Sarah's brow. She was not running a fever which was a very good sign. Infection was a serious concern, especially in the sewers. The lair was a clean and relatively dry environment but you could only keep it so clean. He examined her face. One cheek displayed a growing bruise. Her color was much better than it had been a little while ago. It was no longer a dismal greyish color and was returning more to its tan shade. Splinter wondered for a moment exactly how she remained the same shade of tan when she had practically spent the last three months indoors.

He looked up to see Donatello watching him anxiously. "She seems to be doing better. Her color is returning. I will make her some herbs to drink for when she wakes. It will give her strength and rebuild her blood." His eyes grew serious as he looked at his son. "Donatello, I must caution you against doing such a thing ever again. This time you were able to survive, but who knows next time might be very different."

Donnie shook his head. "That's just it, Master. I don't know what I did." He swallowed hard. "I just couldn't let her die." Leo returned with the cup of hot tea. Donnie gave him a weak smile. "Thanks."

"Come Leonardo, let us let them rest." Splinter ushered his other son from the room and pulled the door to leaving a small crack in case he was needed.


	8. Restoration

A/N: Well, folks I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long. I've been working on some stuff for Raph, but you'll all have to wait on that a bit. Oh, and there is another chapter still to come.

* * *

Hours passed and the lair remained very quiet. Mikie was off sulking somewhere. Raph vented his frustration on a punching bag for a lack of other relief. He had called April earlier and checked in with her to be sure she was okay and let her know what had happen to Sarah. April had been pretty upset and said she would come right over, but he had told her there was nothing she could do right now. So April said she'd be down after work anyway.

Splinter had retired to his room to rest and meditate some time ago. Leo remained in the living room, ever vigilant. He paced for a while and then his eyes fell on an old book on the bookshelf. It was one he hadn't looked at for years. He pulled the brown covered book from its place and settled on the couch again. It was a scrapbook they had made when they were small.

There were drawings and scribbles and little pieces of items they had found on their "adventures" outside the lair. He smiled to himself as he came to the page where a small paper note was taped inside. He opened it up and in large elegant letters it read,_ Happy birthday Leo, love your little sis Sarah._ She had drawn a happy face and birthday cake too. He recalled that his birthday had been the only one she had gotten to spend with them before Splinter had sent her away. She had made him a little toy horse out of Popsicle sticks. She had put a lot of care into drawing the horses hair and eyes and even a saddle. They never did have much in the way of toys and hers had meant a lot to him. He remembered too how upset he'd been when Raphael had stepped on it months later and broke it to pieces. Donnie had tried to put it back together but it had never been the same after that.

Leo lifted his head at the sound of soft voices coming from the Sarah's room. Anticipation rose in him as he ran to the door and peeked inside. The door squeaked slightly and Donnie turned his head towards him. "She's awake. Let everyone know. Everything is going to be alright now." Leo's smile reached from ear to ear. He left the doorway and Donnie turned back to Sarah.

"Donnie, you came for me." Her eyes filled with tears. "I was in a very dark place with a bright light at the end. It was trying to take me away. I heard you calling to me and then you were there. You held onto me and wouldn't let the light take me. "

Donnie wiped away the tears streaming down her soft cheeks. "Never. I'll never let anyone take you from me." He smiled slightly. "You're stuck with me forever."

She returned the smile with a weak one of her own. "Ditto."

Leo returned then with both Splinter and Raph, who were equally glad to see she was awake. Raph hugged her. "You gave us quite a scare, kiddo."

She returned the hug with her good arm. "I'm sorry."

"How are you feeling child?" Splinter inquired as he pressed a hand to her head.

"I'm still a little dizzy, but I'm alive."

"That's the important thing. I will bring you an herbal mixture for the dizziness."

"That's not too uncommon after losing so much blood." Donnie added.

Leo pointed to her arm. "How does it feel?"

She tried to wiggle her fingers and she winced. "I'm not sure yet. Everything still feels swollen and kind of numb."

"Don't rush it. It may take some time for it to heal properly." Donnie cautioned. That's when he noticed that one brother was missing. "Hey, where's Mikie?"

"I don't know. I couldn't find him." Leo looked a little worried.

"He was pretty upset earlier. He kept blaming himself for what happened." Raph explained.

"That's ridiculous, it wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyone's." Donnie opened his turtle com, twisting the knob to the right channel.

Mikie's face appeared on the little screen. He seemed surprised to see Donnie on the other end. "Donnie?"

"Mikie, where are you? Sarah's awake. We were looking for you."

He paused for a moment on the other end. "Well, I just needed to be alone for a while. Are you sure you're both alright?"

Sarah touched Donnie's arm and he turned the screen to her. "Come home, Mikie."

The sight of her awake even in her still weakened state brightened his mood substantially. "I'm on my way." Donnie closed the com and set it on the bedside table.

"I'll get you that tea now and then you should rest some more. You're body has been through a severe trauma." Splinter left the room to fetch the tea and after making sure she had drunk the entire cup, he ushered everyone but Donatello out.

About a half an hour later Mikie showed up with April whom he'd met on his way back. "How's she doing?" April was anxious to see her new friend.

Raph was the first to speak up. "A lot better. It was pretty touch and go there for a while, but she's got a lot of determination."

"And she's got Donnie." Mikie pointed out.

"Can I see her?" April asked looking at the bedroom door.

"She was awake a little while ago, but she's sleeping now. Master Splinter said he'll have to change her bandage soon. Maybe you could see her after that." Leo explained.

"Yeah, I doubt she'd be able to sleep through that. " Donnie quietly pulled the door closed behind him.

Mikie's eyes lit up. "Donnie, how are you feeling, bro?"

He put an arm around his little brother. "I'm fine, really, Mikie. I promise. And for the record, Raph's the only one allowed to mope around blaming himself."

"Why's that?" Mikie asked.

"Because, he usually is the one to blame for stuff." Donnie quipped.

"Hey!" Raph grumbled at Donnie's teasing. The others laughed finally breaking the tension that had filled their lives for the past day.

They visited for a while, except for Donnie who returned to the bedroom and Sarah's side. Splinter emerged about an hour later with a tray of supplies. He couldn't really wait any longer. Sarah's bandages had already needed changing when he had been in there earlier. He greeted April cordially and continued into the bedroom.

Donnie urged Sarah to wake and sit up so that Splinter could get a better angle on the wound. She turned her head and buried her face in Donnie's shoulder as Splinter cleaned the wound of dried blood. Her arm was still extremely tender. Once all the old bandages were removed and her arm mostly cleaned, she ventured a peek at the gash. Splinter had sown the wound with tight small stiches but there was no doubt there would be a scar and a long one at that.

"Try to move your fingers." Splinter encouraged.

Sarah could move them but it felt like she was holding a handful of broken glass. She gritted her teeth against the pain. "It hurts."

Splinter nodded. "It's alright we will try again later."

There was a soft knock at the open door. "Master, can we come in now?" Mikie stepped just inside with April.

"Yes, our patient seems to be doing well enough for visitors." Splinter moved away from the bedside to allow the newcomers a chance to visit.

Mikie took Splinter's place on the bedside. Sarah wrapped her good arm around his neck and whispered in his ear. "You're my sunshine, Mikie, so you can't go cloudy on me." Mikie hugged her back just a little tighter. He had needed that little reassurance from her and took it to heart in a big way.

"Alright, you two break it up." Donnie teased.

Sarah sat back with a grin. "Jealous." She laughed at the expression he made, which started out confused and ended up with him blushing.

"Well," April said, observing the scene before her. "It seems I rushed over here for nothing."

Sarah turned her attention to the older woman. "Thanks, April. I'm sorry to worry you."

"Well, next time I'm going to make sure you get home before I go back to work."

"Actually, that Shinju creep is out of the picture for good." Mikie explained. "So, now we don't have to worry about him anymore."

"He is?" Sarah questioned.

"Well, yeah. Didn't Donnie tell you? He died in the fight."

"As unfortunate as that is, it is a relief. That means when you come up to visit, you won't have to be constantly looking over your shoulder." April yawned. "I better get home to my own bed. After all some of us have to work in the morning. "

"We too should be getting to bed. " Splinter indicated for the two turtles to follow him out.

But Sarah caught Donnie's hand as he was about to leave. "I need to talk with Donnie first." Splinter nodded and let them be. Donnie sat back down on the edge of the bed. Sarah swung her legs over the edge and pushed herself up with her good arm to sit beside him. He wouldn't meet her eyes. "So, why didn't you tell me about Shinju?"

"Oh, I don't know. I wasn't trying to hide it exactly, but I guess a part of me didn't really want to tell you either."

Feeling his uneasy she took his hand. "Why not?"

"I guess a part of me, thought that if you knew there wouldn't be anything to keep you from leaving." Sarah blinked and Donnie continued quickly. "Also, I wasn't so sure how you'd react to finding out I killed someone."

Sarah sighed. It was just like Donnie to overthink things. "Yes, every life is precious. But there are those that throw that gift away every day. And Shinju was no exception to that. He chose his lifestyle and one day would have died from it regardless." She lifted his chin forcing him to make eye contact. "Seeing how it was my life that was exchanged for his. I have nothing but gratitude for you regarding that. And for another thing, who says I don't have anything to keep me here? No one has ever forced me to stay here, Donnie. I'm here because I chose to be. Just like I chose to be with you." She kissed him softly and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her gently into his lap.

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I just needed to hear you say it."

"Yep, and I'm going to remind you every day for the rest of your life." She teased, snuggling deeper into his arms.


	9. Epilogue

A/N: Yes this is the end of this fic but there is more to come! -Gazes into magic mirror- And a lot of more Donnie/Sarah action!

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Epilogue

Sarah sat on the couch with her legs tucked under her and the new cell phone pressed to her ear. The only person she ever really called on it was April and right now they were deep in girl talk. The boys were in the dojo having their daily training session. Every once in a while one would come through for a glass of water and Sarah would stay quiet until they left.

Raph was the most recent visitor and he watched her curiously until he turned the corner back to the dojo. "What in the world is going on in there?" His question was directed at Donnie.

"How should I know? I've been in here with you knuckleheads for the past hour."

"Well, she's your girlfriend, who else would know?" Raph pointed out.

"All I know is she's talking to April. I don't think I really want to know the rest."

Leo interjected a thought. "Yeah, but there is definitely something going on."

"Dude, they could be planning out a righteous party! Or they could be just planning out the rest of your life, Donnie." Mikie teased.

Raph chuckled. "Yeah, you know women do that, don't you? I bet they're trying to figure out where to buy a house in the suburbs." The two others broke out into laughter.

Donnie grimaced at the thought. In the city he could move around underground, in the suburbs he'd be hard to disguise. His curiosity got the better of him and he went back to find Sarah. She was exactly where he'd left her earlier, but this time as he came in she said goodbye and hung up the phone.

"Hey, you guys done?"

"Uh, yeah. What's up with April?" He settled on the couch beside her.

Sarah smiled to herself as she shifted to lean her head on his shoulder. "She was telling me about a friend of hers that's getting married. She asked April to be one of her bridesmaids." She continued telling him where they were having the ceremony and when and about the dress and food. But Donnie didn't hear much of it. His mind was stuck on the word "married" and didn't seem to want to go any further. It was a topic that had never been brought up before, ever. Sarah seemed content to tell him about this friend of April's and her wedding plans, the more she talked the more nervous he became.

Until, finally Sarah stopped talking and looked up at him. "Donnie, what is wrong?" Their bond left their emotions exposed to one another and she knew there was something bothering him.

"Sarah, are you….do you…want to get married?" He asked quietly.

Sarah was a little shocked by the question. Why was he asking? Was it because she had just been telling him about that girl's wedding? Or was there something else? She decided to tread softly here. "Maybe. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I'd never be able to give you something like you just described."

Sarah paused, again not entirely sure what he was getting at. "Donnie, I'm not interested in all those bells and whistles. I never have been. I'm more interest in the person I'm marrying."

Donnie sat quietly for a moment before speaking again. "So, you'd still marry me, even if I couldn't give you the big party and fancy dress and all the other things?"

Sarah blinked twice. "Well, yes of course. A wedding is but for a moment. Marriage is meant for a lifetime."

Donnie leaned back, slipping his arm around her and kissing her hair. "Good."


End file.
